Downham Town out to roll back years in Norfolk Senior Cup

The last time Downham Town lifted the Norfolk Senior Cup, was the same heady summer that Moore, Charlton and Hurst lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy.

Just a matter of weeks before England’s famous 4-2 victory over West Germany, it was West Norfolk that had reason to celebrate when Downham Town lifted the Norfolk Senior Cup after beating Norwich Electricity 1-0 in the final.

Now 52 years on, Downham are just three matches away from repeating the feat.

Town last reached the final was back in 1969, when they suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Gorleston.

Paul Neary’s Division One outfit travel to Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division outfit Yarmouth Town in the last eight of the county’s oldest cup competition tomorrow (1.30pm).

The Memorial Field chief is confident his side will be able to compete with their higher-level hosts.

Neary said: “It is great to have got this far but I have got no intention of going out without a fight.

“We will be up for it and determined to give Yarmouth a really good game, we know they are a level above us but we won’t be fazed by that.

“It is football at the end of the day and anything can happen, especially in cup competitions.

“It is always in the back of your mind that you are two games from Carrow Road.

“That would be a huge day for the club, but we can’t look past Saturday and the job we have got on our hands against Yarmouth.

“All I can ask is that the players give it their all and hopefully that will be enough to get us into the semi-finals.”